Dancing
by FaylinnNorse
Summary: It was complicated. I was in love with him. He loved me too, at least for a while. But we both knew it could never work out. He was a prince, and I was a servant. A sad version of Cinderella


I was in a romantically depressing mood today, and this was the product! Hope you enjoy!

* * *

It was complicated. I was in love with him. He loved me too, at least for a while. But we both knew it could never work out. He was a prince, and I was a servant. 

I worked for my stepmother, to pay off my "debt" to her, for living there. By her accounts, it would seem that I could never pay it off. But I was determined to pay it, if it was the last thing I ever did. I worked outside, mostly, because I hated being indoors. We had a lot of sheep, and I would herd them for her. I still didn't like it, though. I wanted to be free.

We lived close to the capital city, which was at the edge of our country, Talin. The country bordering us, Lisven, also had their capital close to us. We were surrounded by nobility.

Princess Adria, of Lisven, was my closest friend growing up. Most people in our country didn't even know what she looked like, but after my father died, I took to roaming throughout the countryside, often crossing our border into Lisven.

I met Adria when I was climbing a tree and fell off. She was "running away" because she had felt like doing something wild. I think her castle was only over the next hill, but I didn't ask her about it. I fell down right in front of her and cried because I landed on my arm, and it turned out to be broken. We talked for a while, and then she went to get some of her guard to take me home and take care of my arm.

It might not sound like much of a basis for a friendship, but after that we were inseparable. We would constantly run around together through the area and talk about everything under the sun. We were very different from each other, but we got along well. I was dark complected and wild, not caring about anything hardly. She was the perfect golden haired and blue eyed princess, and not very brave. Without me, I doubt she would have done half the things we did together. We went swimming, climbed trees, swung on vines, a few times we even went to town and stole pastries from the stands.

When I was fifteen, we were still best friends, but I was often getting in trouble for shirking my duties to be with her. We had gone dancing in one of the taverns, just for kicks, but we had a bit of trouble, and I didn't get back until just before dawn. I got a beating I would never forget. My stepmother gave me fifty lashes and said that if I kept disappearing, it would double every time. I still remember the feel of the warm blood, pouring down my back, and my skin ripped open.

The next day, I told Adria I couldn't do anything with her anymore.

"But, Gabby, you're my best friend!" she said tearily.

"I know, Adria, and I'll miss you. But I'm...just a servant, and you're a princess. We can't be friends. I'll get a hundred lashings if I'm caught skipping chores again." We hugged and said goodbye.

* * *

When I was seventeen, Prince Andre was supposed to be looking for a wife, and all the girls in the country were fighting for his attentions. There were to be three different balls in which he would choose a wife. I frankly couldn't have cared less. That is, until I got to know him. 

He always said that I almost killed him when I met him, but it wasn't my fault that he was riding by at the precise moment that I threw the rock into the stream! As a result, his horse through him off and he could have broken his back, but as I said, it wasn't my fault his horse was skittish! As soon as I was done laughing, I apologized profusely and helped him up. He yelled at me, I burst out laughing as soon as he was done, and somehow we became great friends.

Going to the ball started out as a joke. Andre told me that I should go so he would have someone to talk to, because he hated balls, and besides, he'd laugh to see me dressed up like a lady. I punched him for that, but after my stepmother and sisters had gone, I started to think about it.

What would I look like, dressed up like a lady? Could I pull it off? I went into my stepsister's room and pulled open their wardrobe. I took out a blue dress that shimmered like the lake by the palace. I pulled off my dirty work dress and slipped the blue one over my head. My stepsister had been going to wear it, but it was too small for her. It fit me perfectly.

The dress shimmered in the dim light and flowed around me. It fit tightly in just the right places to accent a good figure. I took a brush from the nightstand and ran it through my hair. Afterwards, instead of looking like a tangled mess, my dark, brown hair hung in nearly perfect curls. I cleaned the dirt off of my face with water. I still had freckles dotting my cheeks, but it at least it wasn't dirty. My stepsister didn't have any extra pairs of fancy shoes, so I had to just wear my normal boots. They didn't go with the dress very well, but I figured they wouldn't be too noticeable.

I walked all the way to the palace. It was two miles away and I was wearing a floor length dress. Needless to say, I tripped several times. By the time I got there, I wasn't sure what I would look like. I went inside awkwardly and stood against the wall, not sure what to do. There were so many people, all dancing and twirling and talking to each other. I felt quite out of place.

"Gabby!" Andre exclaimed, upon seeing me. "You came!" Then he stopped short, seemingly gaping at me. "I—uh—wow. You're beautiful," he said.

I blushed.

"Well—do you want to dance?" Andre asked me.

"Sure," I replied, taking his arm.

It might not have been the best idea. I kept stepping on his feet and turning the wrong way, and mostly just tripping over myself. He didn't seem to mind, though. He just patiently taught me how to do it right. In not so long, we were dancing quite smoother—and closer—than most of the other people.

After a while, we decided to break off and head for the refreshments. We gorged ourselves on the tiny cakes and punch and laughed the night away. It was the most fun I'd had in a long time.

* * *

I went to the next ball as well. Andre even bought me nicer shoes for the occasion. I wore an emerald green dress with a golden sash. Andre told me that if it was possible, I looked even better than I had at the first ball. I laughed and told him to stop being such a flatterer. 

We danced for a while, had some punch, and stood in the corner and talked. That was when Princess Adria walked in. I hadn't seen her in two years. She was lovely, the prettiest girl there.

"Oh, look, there's the princess of Lisven," Andre remarked dryly. "Father invited her, but didn't think she'd come. I suppose I'll have to marry her now," he said, with a slight laugh.

I didn't laugh back, though. On the contrary, I felt like I'd been slapped in the face. My old best friend marrying my...well, new best friend. I didn't like it. And I started to realize that I liked Andre more than I cared to admit.

"Well, don't look so upset, Gabby! Don't worry, you're ten times prettier than she is," he said, smiling at me. "Now I have to go greet her, or Father will have my head, but I'll be back."

"Fine, go see to your princess," I said.

Andre rolled his eyes and walked away.

I decided that I needed more punch. I walked to the refreshment table and reached for the ladle. Someone else was reaching for it, too. I looked up. My stepmother. She raised an accusing brow at me.

"Gabriella?" she questioned. "Why, I hardly recognized you, dressed like that! What in the world are you thinking, being here? Trying to catch the prince, are you?"

I squared my jaw, and tried to decide whether to defy her or deny knowing her. But before I could say anything, she was already screaming out who I was.

"This girl is an imposter! She is my servant, and is trying to deceive the prince and win him for herself, the whining, sniveling brat!" With that, she grabbed my hand and showed it to everyone, revealing my dirty and cracked nails. "A lady's hand would never look like this!" she yelled.

I yanked my hand back, but it seemed like the crowd was already closing in on me. They were shouting and yelling at me. Eventually I just squeezed through them and ran. I had to get out of there.

"Gabby!" I heard, as I started to run down the walkway out into the street. It was Andre. "Gabby, wait!"

I turned back. He was running towards me.

"They're right, Andre. I'm just a servant. I shouldn't be here, it was a bad idea."

"Oh, Gabby," he said, walking closer to me and taking my hands in his. I ended up just throwing my arms around him. I was having a bad night. "Gabby, I'm—I'm sorry, but don't listen to them. You're not a brat; you're not here to try and win me or deceive me."

I stepped back. "Maybe I wasn't originally, but now...I'm afraid I wish I could win you, Andre," I said with a small sob. Then I wiped away my tears quickly. I was better than this, I was above crying over being a little embarrassed at a ball!

"Well...I think you're succeeding then, Gabby," Andre said.

I gasped slightly, and looked up at him. He hugged me and I leaned against him. Then we danced out there in the street. There was no one around, just us. It was perfect.

"This is never going to work out, you know," I said as I leaned my head on his shoulder.

"I know. Don't tell me about it now, though," Andre replied.

I laughed slightly, and we just danced.

* * *

I saw him often after that. He'd come and walk with me while I herded the sheep, sometimes we'd go and swim in the big lake that was next to the castle. I think he got in trouble a few times because of me, but he didn't seem to mind. 

After a while, though, I didn't see him as much. He said he was busy with royal things and that he missed me. I missed him, too, but I guess I knew it would start to happen.

The day he sent me a note about his engagement ball was the day I paid off my debt. He sent me enough money to be free and to have enough finances to do what I wanted for a while. I'll be ever grateful to him for that.

The last ball I went to was his engagement ball. Princess Adria looked lovely, and happy too. She would make a good queen someday, not like me. It was hard to see them, but I had to say goodbye.

I walked right up to him. I truly did not want to prolong my stay there. "Well, congratulations on your engagement," I said softly.

He turned to me quickly. "You—you came," he said.

I nodded. "I came," I said with a sad smile.

"Gabby, I—" he started.

"Don't," I cut him off. "Please, don't make this harder for me."

He gazed at me, with his deep blue eyes, then nodded. "Will you dance with me, one last time?" he asked, holding out his hand.

I pursed my lips together, feeling I was going to cry. After a moment, I agreed and slipped my hand into his.

Andre pulled me to the furthest corner of the ballroom, where stone pillars looked out on the lake, and the moonlight flooded through. No one would see us there. And we danced. We stepped, and spun, just like before, though this time was different. This time my heart was breaking. This time would be the last. After a while we stopped, and just looked at each other.

"Well, what will you do now?" he asked me. "You're free now."

I shrugged. "I don't know. Go somewhere, I guess. Somewhere far away from here."

He nodded. "I—I'll miss you."

"I know. I'll miss you, too. But please, Andre, don't think about me. She deserves all of you," I said, glancing to where his bride-to-be was dancing with the king. "Forget about me, until I'm just another girl you danced with at a ball, and give your heart to her."

"But—Gabby, I love you!"

"You'll get over me," I whispered, my throat constricting as I spoke. "Promise me, Andre, that you'll love her?"

He sighed. "I'll try," he said

I smiled, as best I could, which I'm afraid wasn't very good at all.

He leaned over and kissed me softly on the cheek. "Then promise me you'll remember that I loved you?"

I couldn't help it, then. I started to cry, but quickly wiped the tears away with the back of my glove. "I promise," I whispered breathily. I stood on my tip-toes and kissed his cheek, the way he had kissed mine. "Goodbye, Andre."

* * *

That was the last I saw of him for many years. I traveled much of the world; it was wonderful, but in the end I missed my home. It seemed that I like herding sheep more than I would have thought. I became a shepherdess, close to where I had first worked for my stepmother, but I didn't work for her. Never again. 

One day I saw the royal family, they were having a picnic together in the meadow. I was leading my sheep through the area. There was Andre, and Adria, and their three children. They all seemed so happy. It was a happiness I had never known. The closest thing to it would probably be the way I felt when I was dancing with Andre, without a care in the world. Still, they looked happier.

When they spotted me, Andre gazed at me for a moment, inclining his head, like he almost recognized me. Then he turned away again. He didn't remember me. I felt like my whole life I had been saying goodbye, so this time I decided it would be different. I said hello to his children and smiled and let them pet the lambs. Then I left, and I never saw him again. But I would never forget him, or that he loved me. We made promises to each other, and we kept them.


End file.
